Counting attachment for delivery apparatus.



G. H. LEE;

COUNTING ATTACHMENT FOR DELIVERY APPARATUS.

APPLICATION FILED NOV.19, 1909.

987,727, Patented Mar. 28, 1911.

dTTORNEY.

QMWW UNITED STATES PATENT OFFICE.

CHARLES H. LEE, 0}? PHILADELPHIA, PENNSYLVANIA, ASSIGNOR OF ONE-HALF TOEDWARD LAWRENCE FELL, 0F PHILADELPHIA, PENNSYLVANIA.

COUNTING ATTACHMENT FOR DELIVERY APPARATUS.

To all whom it may concern:

Be it known that I, CI-IARLEs H. LEE, a citizen of the United States,residing in Philadelphia, county of Philadelphia, State of Pennsylvania,have invented certain new and useful Improvements in CountingAttachments for Delivery Apparatus, of which the following is aspecification.

My invention relates to an improvement in mechanism for attachment tothe delivery apparatus of a folding machine envelop machine, or othersimilar machine for marking or otherwise designating at intervals adelivered article so that the said delivered articles may be separatedreadily into packages each of which contains a certain definite numberof the delivered articles, as, for instance, papers or envelops.

In the construction shown in the drawings, I have provided mechanism fordesignating by marking or otherwise each fiftieth article so that thesaid articles may be readily separated into packages of fifty each, butit will be understood that the mechanism may be so arranged as to markor otherwise designate each twenty-fifth or seventy-fifth orone-hundredth article and so on increasing the number as may be desired.

In the drawings I have illustrated a convenient embodiment of myinvention, but it will be understood that many changes in the details ofconstruction may be made without departing from the scope of myinvention as the same is set forth in the specification and claims.

In the drawings :Figure 1 is a view showing a portion of a deliveryapparatus in sectional side elevation with my counting attachmentsecured thereto; Fig. 2 is a sectional side elevation showing theoperative mechanism of my attachment;' Fig. 3 is a side elevationshowing a portion of mechanism in the position which it occupies whenthe marking or designating device is in raised or elevated positionready to mark an article; and Fig. 41 is a transverse section on theline 14: of Fig. 2.

Referring to the drawings :1 designates a delivery trough or chute intowhich the papers, envelops or similar articles 2 are received, asindicated in Fig. l of the drawings. Said articles are moved forward inthe trough by means of a pusher 3 reciprocated in the trough or chute bymeans of a Specification of Letters Patent.

Application filed November 19, 1909.

Patented Mar. 28, 1911.

Serial No. 528,934.

reciprocating carrier 1. In the construction shown stop plates 5 areprovided upon the sides of the trough or chute 1 to prevent the articlesfrom returning with the pusher 3 as it is withdrawn into position topermit a paper or other article to fall into position in front of thesame.

My counting attachment is secured to the under side of the bottom of thetrough or chute 1 and is provided with a tripping device 7 which extendsthrough an opening 8 in the said trough into position to be tripped oractuated by a paper or other article as the same is pushed forward bythe pusher 3. The pusher 3 is provided with an opening or slot 10 in itslower edge so that the pusher may be withdrawn to its starting positionwithout striking the tripping device 7 extending through the slot 8 frommy counting attachment and such slot is also provided so that if thesaid pusher is moved forward without having a paper or other article infront of it the said tripper or actuating device will not be tripped.

15 designates the casing of my device having a removable cover 16.Within this casing the operative parts of my device are located. Theseoperative parts consist of a ratchet wheel 20 revolubly supported upon astud shaft 21 which is secured in any manner, as by means of a nut andscrew, to one of the walls of the casing 15. In order to support thesaid ratchet wheel a short distance from the wall of the said casing Iprovide a boss 22 upon the said wall. It will be understood, of course,that for the boss an ordinary washer may be substituted.

The ratchet wheel 20 is adapted to be actuated by means of a dog 25pivotally supported upon a pivoted actuating member 26. Pivotal movementof the dog in one direction is limited by means of a pin 28 on themember 26 against which the tail 29 of the said pivoted dog abuts. Thesaid dog is permitted to move freely about its pivot in the oppositedirection. The actuating member 26 is supported on the pivot 80 securedto the side wall of the casing 15. The tripping device 7 is secured tothe pivoted actu ating member 26. The said tripping device projectsupwardly through the slot 8 in the bottom of the trough or chute 1 asindicated in the drawings and as previously stated herein. The actuatingdevice 26 is normally held in the upright position indicated in thedrawings by means of a spring 36 which is connected to the saidactuating device 25 above its pivot and to a portion of the easing 15.

10 designates a positioning and controlling wheel which is adj ustablysecured to the ratchet wheel 20 by means of an attaching screw 41. Thepositioning and controlling wheel 10 is provided on its periphery withradial teeth 12 with which a positioning and holding dog 13 is adaptedto engage, the said dog being supported upon a spring e4: se cured to aportion of the casing 15 as shown in Fig. 2 of the drawings. Thepositioning and controlling wheel 10 by reason of its adjustableconnection with the ratchet wheel 20 may be accurately adjusted so as tobring the teeth 12 upon its periphery in proper relation to the ratchetteeth upon the ratchet wheel 20. The marking pencil, chalk or otherdevice 50 is supported upon a spring plate 51 which is in turn supportedupon a lever 52 pivoted at 58 upon a portion of the casing 15. The leveris acted upon by a spring 5 1 which tends to hold it in the full lineposition shown in Fig. 2. Adjacent to its pivot the lever 52 is providedwith an adjustable screw or similar device 55 which engages the swingingend of a pendulum-like lever 55 pivoted at 57 upon a portion of thecasing 15. The said lever is provided with an angular cam projection 60which is adapt ed to engage a corresponding projection 61 upon a deviceor member 62 adjustably supported upon the positioning and controllingwheel 10 by means of holding screws (33 In order to move the ratchetwheel 20 and positioning wheel 40 into any position de sired beforebeginning the use at any time of my counting attachment, 1 have pro--vided a plate which is secured to the wheel 10 by means of screws 71,which plate is provided with a squared key hole slotor opening 72adapted to receive the squared end of a key which may be insertedthrough the hole or opening 73 in the cover plate 16 of the casing 15.

In the operation of my counting device or attachment the ratchet wheel20 and the part attached thereto should be set so that the cam actuatingmember 61 is located just below or outside of the cam projection 60 onthe swinging pendulum-like lever 56. As the articles are delivered andpushed forward by the pusher 3 they will strike the tripping member 7and actuate the actuating member 26. As the tripping member 7 isdepressed the actuating dog 25 will engage one of the teeth of theratchet wheel 20 and cause a movement forward of one step of the ratchetwheel and the parts connected to it. In the construction shown therelative position of the cam projections 60 and 61 as shown in fulllines in Fig. 2 indicates that forty-eight articles have passed throughthe delivery device, that the passage of the fortyninth article willoccasion movement of the ratchet wheel and the parts carried therebyinto such position that the cam-acting projection 1 will move intoposition with relation to the corresgonding projection 60 of theswinging or pendulum lever 56 indicated in Fig. In that position thelever together with the marker 50 carried thereby occupy the dotted lineposition indicated in Fig. 2.

As will be noted from an inr'spection of Figs. 1 and 2 of the drawings,the marking device 50 when in raised position occupies a position in therear of the tripping device 7 so that the fiftieth paper in being movedforward, first strikes the marking device and thereafter the trippingdevice, so that as the fiftieth paper is carried forward it is firstmarked and thereafterstrikes the tripping device 7 and causes a one stepmovement of the ratchet wheel 20 and its attached parts, whereby the camactuating projection G1 is moved in. the direction indicated by thearrow in Fig. 2 so as to carry the same below the correspondingprojection 60 upon the swinging or pendulum le ver 56. It will thus beseen that the fiftieth object has been marked and that as the articlesare continued to be passed through delivery trough or chute 1 thecounting attachment will continue to mark each fiftieth paper or suchother article as the attach ment may be designed for marking.

In the construction illustrated, the ratchet 20 is provided with fiftyteeth and with a single cam projection 61 whereby the device is adaptedto mark each fiftieth paper. By providing a second diametrically opposedcam projection 61 upon the wheels 20 and 40 the marking lever 52 wouldbe operated twice during each revolution of the said wheels, therebymarking each twenty-fifth paper or other article. Also the marking ofeach twenty-fifth, seventy-fifth or onchundredth paper may he eil'ectedby providing ratchet wheels 20 having twenty-five, seventy-five and onehundred teeth respectively. It will be understood that if a ratchetwheel is provided with one hundred teeth each fiftieth or twenty-fifthpaper or other article may be marked by providing the requisite numberof cam projections 1 in proper positions upon the said .vheeIs.

Having thus described my invention, 1 claim 1. In a counting and markingdevice, the combination of a revoluble member, means for causing a stepby step revolution of the said member, the said means being actuated bythe contact therewith of the articles to be counted and marked, apivoted marking device, and means interposed between said pivotedmarking device and said revolublc member for causing movement of saidpivthe oted member at intervals after the said revoluble member hasmoved through a predetermined number of steps whereby at intervals,after a selected number of the said articles have passed, one of thesaid articles is marked.

2. In a device of the character described, the combination of arevoluble member, an oscillating actuating member for causing movementof the said revoluble member which oscillating member is actuated by thecontact therewith of the articles to be counted and marked, and apivoted marking device actuated by the said revoluble member.

3. In a counting and marking device, the combination of a revolubleratchet wheel, a pivoted actuating member having means adapted to engagethe teeth of the ratchet wheel and cause step by step movement thereof,a pivoted member carrying a marl; ing device and a member oscillatingbetween said pivoted member and a part on said revoluble ratchet wheel,the said oscillating member contacting with the said pivoted member tocarry a portion thereof into the path of movement of the articles to becounted and marked whereby one of the said articles may be marked.

t. In a device of the character described, a revoluble ratchet wheel,means for causing step by step revolution of the said ratchet wheel, aserrated positioning disk ecured to the said ratchet wheel, a dogeooperating with the said disk, a member having a cam projection securedto the said disk and ratchet wheel, a pivoted lever carrying a markingdevice, and a swinging pivoted lever interposed between the said diskand ratchet wheel, and the said swinging lever having a cam projectionwhich is adapted to be engaged by the first named cam projection,whereby the said swinging lever is moved about its pivot to occasionmovement of the pivoted member carrying the marking device.

The combination of mechanism for de livering papers and similar objectsand a marking attachmentsecured to the delivery passage-way of saidmechanism, the said marking attachment comprising a revoluble member,the said member being actuated by the passage of a paper or similarobject through the said passageway, a cam rotat ing with said revolublemember, a pivoted marking device and a member actuated by said cam andcontacting with said pivoted marking device to move the same into thepath of movement of the articles to be marked and counted whereby one ofthe said articles may be marked.

6. In a device of the character described, the combination of arevoluble ratchet wheel, actuating means for driving the said ratchetwheel, a pivoted lever carrying a marking device, and an adjustabledevice having operative connection with the said ratchet wheel forcausing movement of the said pivoted lever once in each revolution ofthe said ratchet wheel.

7. In combination, the delivery guide-way ot a delivery mechanism, meansfor moving articles along the said guide-way, mechanism for marking atintervals articles passing through the said guide-way, the saidmechanism comprising a revoluble member, means actuated by the passageof the articles through the said guideway for causing movement of thesaid revoluble member, a member carrying a marking device and a movablemember interposed between the said last mentioned member and a part onthe said revoluble member, the said interposed member contacting withthe said part and the said marking device carrying member to causemovement of the latter.

8. In combination, the delivery guide-way of a delivery mechanism, meansfor causing movement of articles along the said guideway, and mechanismfor marking at intervals the said articles, the said mechanismcomprising a revoluble toothed wheel, a de vice actuated by the passageof the articles along the said passage way, the said device having meansadapted to engage the teeth upon the said wheel to cause step by steprevolution thereot, a toothed disk having adjustable connection with thesaid toothed wheel, means engaging with the teeth of the said disk forpositioning the said toothed wheel and controlling the revolutionthereof, a pivoted lever adapted to carry means for marking the saidarticles, a swinging lever interposed between the said pivoted lever andthe said revoluble toothed wheel, and means having connection with thesaid wheel for actuating the said swinging lever to cause movement ofthe said pivoted lever.

9. In combination, the guide-way of a delivery mechanism, means forcausing movement 01" articles along the said guideway, mechanism formarking at intervals the articles which pass along the said guideway,the said means comprising a pivoted member having an arm projecting intothe said guide-way and adapted to be actuated by the passage of thearticles along the said guide-way, a ratchet wheel adapted to beactuated by the movement of the said pivoted member, a cam device havingan adjustable connection with the said ratchet wheel, and means actuatedby the said cam device for marking the said articles at predeterminedintervals.

10. In combination, the guide-way of a delivery mechanism, means formoving arti cles along the said guide-way, mechanism for marking atpredetermined intervals the said articles, the said mechanism comprisinga revoluble member, a pivoted member having an arm extending into thesaid guideway and adapted to be actuated by the passage of the saidarticles, and the said meirher having means adapted o cause step by steprevolution of the said revoluble member, a cam acting device havingconnection with the said revoluble member, and pivoted marking deviceactuated by the said cam device for marking the said articles atpredetern'iined intervals.

11. In combination, the delivery trough or chute or" a deliverymechanism, a pusher for moving articles forward in the said trough orchute, mechanism for marking at intervals one of the said articles asthe same is moved forward in the said trough or chute, the saidmechanism comprising a revoluble member, means interposed between thesaid member and the said trough or chute for causing movement of thesaid member, the said means being actuated by the passage of saidarticles along the said trough or chute, movable means for marking oneof the said articles at intervals, and means interposed between the saidmovable means and the said revoluble member for causing movement of thesaid movable means to effect the marking of one or the said articles atintervals.

12. In combination, the guide-way of a delivery mechanism, a pusheroperating in the said guide-way for moving articles forward therein,means associated with the said guide-way for marking at intervalsarticles passing through the said guide-way, the said mechanismcomprising a ratchet wheel, a

pivoted device interposed between the said ratchet wheel and the saidgui-cle-way, the said device having a part projected into the saidguide-way whereby the said device is actuated by the passage of thearticles through the said guide-way, and the said pivoted device havinga part which is adapted to engage the teeth of the said ratchet wheeland cause step by step movement thereof, a serrated adjustablepositioning disk secured to the said ratchet wheel, means to engage thesaid disk, a spring-pressed lever carrying a marking device which isadapted to be projected into the said )assage-way, and means interposedbetween the said lever and the said ratchet wheel for causing movementoi the said lever to carry the said marking device into the saidpassage-way.

18. In a device of the character described, the combination of arevoluble member, means for causing revoluble movement 01 said member, apivoted marking device and an adjustable device having operativeconnection and moving with said reveluble member for causing n'iovementof said pivoted marking device into marking position.

In testimony that I claim the foregoing as my invention, l: havehereunto signed my name this 18th day of November, 1909.

CHARLES H. LEE.

b. SALOME BROOKE.

Copies of this patent may be obtained. for five cents each, byaddressing the Commissioner of Patents, Hashing-ton, D. C.

